Week 3
INTERNET
• Internet is a network of computers that link many different
computers all over the world.
• Network of networks sharing a common mechanism for
addressing (identifying) the computers.
• Is a common set of communication protocols for
communications between two computers on the network.
• Evolved from basic ideas - of interconnecting of computers -
given by ARPANET
2
INTERNET contd..
• Initially used only by research organizations and universities to
share and exchange information
• In 1989, US Govt. lifted the restrictions on the use of internet and
allowed it to use for commercial purposes as well.
• Rapidly grown to become world’s largest network.
• Now interconnects more than 30,000 networks, more than 10
million computers and more than 50 million computer users in
more than 150 countries communicate with each other.
3
BASIC SERVICES OF INTERNET
• Following four basic types of services are provided by the internet.
• Electronic Mail (Email): Allows users to send/receive a mail (message)
to/from another internet user around the world.
• File Transfer Protocol (FTP): enables an internet user to move a file from
one computer to another on the internet.
• Telnet: Allows user to login to another computer somewhere on the internet.
• Usenet Newsgroup: allows groups of users to exchange their views / ideas /
information on some common topic of interest with all members belonging to
the group.
4
EMAIL
• As compared to paper mail, telephone and fax many prefer
email because of its following advantages
• Faster
• The persons communicating need not to be available at the same
time
• The receiver of the email can store it in the computer and can edit it
easily using editing programs.
5
FILE TRANSFER PROTOCOL (FTP)
• Downloading: the process of moving a file from remote computer to
one’s own computer
• Uploading: the process of moving a file from one’s own computer to a
remote computer
6
FTP contd..
• In FTP services, a file transfer takes place in following manner
• User executes ftp command on his/her own computer, by specifying the
address of remote computer.
• FTP process running on user’s computer (called FTP client process)
establishes connection with an FTP process running on remote computer
(called FTP server process).
• System then asks the user to enter login name and password on the remote
computer to ensure that the user possesses permission to access the remote
computer
• After successful login, the user downloads or uploads the desired file(s).
7
TELNET
• Some common users of telnet service are
• Using the computing power of the remote computer
• Using a software on the remote computer
• Accessing remote computer’s database
• Logging in to one’s own computer from another computer
8
USENET NEWS
• Moderated Newsgroups: only selected members have the right
to directly post a message. Other members can only read the
posted messages
• Non-Moderated Newsgroups: any member can directly post a
message
9
WORLD WIDE WEB
• World wide web (WWW) is the most popular method of organising and
accessing information on the internet.
• Main reason is hypertext – is a way of information storage and retrieval
that enables authors to structure information.
• Hypertext document on the internet is known as web page.
• A link is a special type of item in a hypertext document, connecting the
document to another document that provides more information about the
link.
• Web pages are created by using a special language called HyperText
Markup Language (HTML)
10
links
WWW BROWSER
• WWW Browser is a special software loaded on a computer
that normally provides following navigation facilities to the
user:
• Does not require a user to remotely login to a web server computer
or to log out again when done.
• Allows users to visit the server computer websites and to access
information stored on it by specifying its URL (uniform resource
locator) address. 12
WWW BROWSER
• Allows users to create and maintain their personal hotlist
of favourite URL addresses that user is likely to frequently
visit in future
• Allows user to download information in various formats
from remote computer to user’s own computer
13
USES OF INTERNET
• Some important current uses of internet are:
• On-line communication
• Software Sharing
• Exchange of views on topics of common interest
• Posting of information of general interest
• Product promotion
• Feedback about products
• Customer support services
• Online journals and magazines
• Online shopping
• World wide video conferencing
14
